Thursday, September 11, 2003
Sometimes it is all about networking...
Today I had an interview for contract work at Matrix Meridian. I landed this through my previous working relationship with Sean H., as he also works for this firm. It would in fact be fairer to say that his firm and MM do a lot of work together.
Met with Daniel H., who I think I may have met before. Doing some research on the firm, I noticed that PanelX was listed among the firm's credits of Web sites. Initially I thought this was Sean's contribution, but it turns out it the site was first started by Daniel and Sean, built largely over the course of a week in Hong Kong. The story I heard from Michael W. was that he had an intimate part of developing this site, but according to Daniel and Sean, that was not the case. Far from it, in fact. Typical Michael it would seem. Daniel H. was in fact responsible for helping Michael W. settle here in Canada, for which he jokingly apologized to Sean and myself. ;-) Apparently the PanelX logo was whipped up by Daniel and was meant strictly as a placeholder, and then, as he says, it started appearing on letterhead from correspondence he received from Michael. Apparently he never got paid for that either. Ugh. Oh well, it's all past history now in any event...
The interview was far more a lunch between geeks than a serious job interview. They both mock ohh-ed and ahh-ed over my Red Hat certificate, but both of them knew they had far more experience in Linux that I – they have been at it for years after all, which is fair enough. Basically, I've got the job as long as I can accomplish a basic PHP/MySQL programming task for them, which sounds fairly straightforward to do. Basically I'll get to work at home much of the time, and set my own hours – which may well be long. It'll be intensive stuff, but it should be good. My presence is only required at the office for the occasional meeting, when a project needs to be discussed. A nice arrangement.
I have to admit to some disappointment though. Not a full-time position as I had been hoping for, but another contract – though admittedly with the possibility of more down the road. Also, the work for the initial client hasn't really started yet, so I will be in a holding pattern until work starts in earnest. And of course, no benefits or anything of that nature either. I think I will keep exploring for any more full-time opportunities, but this may still pan out. Only time will tell...
Two Years Ago...
It only happened two years ago, and yet it seems like longer, happening in a whole other time. I am amazed at the sugar-coating the anniversary has received in the popular U.S. media – it has simply become another news event, and an old one at that. Ugh.
For me it's hard to look at a skyline without thinking of a low-flying airplane coming into view. And absently wondering "what's next"? The immediate post-Cold War era, circa 1991-2001, and all of its heady optimism has come to a crashing end.
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